UK Envoy: CSOs Critical to Ensuring Free, Fair and Accountable 2027 Polls

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The British ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, urged civil society organisations in Nigeria to intensify their oversight activities to ensure that the 2027 general elections are credible and accountable.

The envoy spoke at the June 12 Democracy Day Dialogue and Photo Exhibition, themed “June 12 from Symbolism to Systems Change: The Role of Civil Society in Sustaining Nigeria’s Democracy,” organised by the Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja. He said that a range of confidence‑building measures is required for citizens to trust the election outcome.

While praising the contributions and sacrifices of civil society organisations—including the personal safety risks endured over the past 27 years—he highlighted the importance of the upcoming 2027 election and the need to maintain public confidence in the country’s leadership.

“So, I’m here today to encourage your advocacy. I’m here to encourage your oversight, your ability to amplify citizens’ terms and voice, and to help ensure that the future elections—particularly the national and state elections on 16 January—are fair,” he said.

“We strongly believe that you people in the room, your organisations, the civil society monitoring rooms have key roles to play in holding the election process to account and making it as inclusive as possible,” the ambassador added.

“We see you as very key to helping more Nigerian citizens find a voice and protecting the human rights of many who are not lawyers and have a legal perspective,” he continued.

The ambassador called for meaningful participation of women, younger people, those with special needs, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups. He said that the level of inclusiveness in the process determines whether citizens will trust or doubt electoral outcomes.

Co‑founder of the Civil Liberties Organisation and Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Mr. Clement Nwankwo, remarked that years of struggle for democratic rule in Nigeria have yielded only a few milestones, such as the peaceful transition of power so far recorded.

He lamented that recent attempts at institutional capture have eroded the country’s democracy, introducing tribalism and corruption into the system.

Co‑Convener of the Civil Society Coalition – Situation Room, Mr. YZ Ya’u, recounted the efforts of CSOs and civil rights movements that successfully pushed out the military government in Nigeria.

Two other key figures in the pro‑democracy struggle, Ms. Ene‑Obi and Mma Odi, narrated the harrowing experiences of earlier generations, including arrests, detention and, in some cases, deaths.

Odi noted that the difference between those who fought for democracy during the military era in the nineties and now is that the current generation is more determined, united and focused.

The dialogue session provided a platform for many civil society and pro‑democracy activists to share their views and experiences regarding the struggle for democratic governance in Nigeria.